The operations carried out this year in rural areas of the Department of Guaviare and in the south of Meta, have led to the destruction of 167 laboratories for the production of coca base and 577 seedbeds.
The planting of illicit plantations on almost six thousand hectares of land corresponding to approximately six thousand football fields has been prevented. This land was recovered to prevent deforestation.
With the strengthening of military operations of territorial control, by the troops of the Twenty-Second Brigade of jungle to counter drug trafficking and prevent the increase of the planting of illicit plantations, it was possible to find in Puerto Valencia, municipality of El Retorno, in Guaviare, a coca processing laboratory. At the scene, three men were caught for the crime of trafficking in substances for production of narcotics.
When the troops identified the wooden structure and plastic roof of 60 square meters, they noticed the presence of these individuals who were at the service of drug trafficking and the residual organized armed group, Gao-r, First Structure, so they immediately proceeded to their capture. The men were transported by air to the capital city of the Department.
Those captured were put into custody of the Anti-Narcotics Police.
Within the laboratory, half a ton of solid precursors were found, including Coca base paste in process and more than 400 gallons of liquid precursors, such as chopped coca leaf and coca base paste in process. At the site, the material was destroyed, thus preventing further production of the coca base paste and damaging the finances of alias Mordisco, the main ringleader of the first structure in approximately 196 million pesos per month, corresponding to the marketing of 70 kilos of coca base paste that were produced there in this period.
On the other hand, in the rural area of the municipality of San Jose del Guaviare, specifically in the Caño Macusito, Tomachipán, Guanapalo and Charrasqueras, the soldiers find six seedbed plantations, which contained approximately 213 thousand coca seedlings whose height was about 3 and 12 centimeters.
These plants would then be part of the illicit plantations of this GAO-r, and they were planted in lands equivalent to 21 football fields, subtracting the possibility of incentivizing agriculture and legal planting, giving continuity to the chain of drug trafficking that so much damage have done to the region and its natural ecosystems.
After finding this material, troops proceeded immediately to its destruction. The area is subject to search operations with the aim of countering criminal activities, to contribute to the care of biodiversity, through coordinated work with civil and environmental authorities.
Colonel Hector William Murillo Sanchez, commander of the Twenty-Second Jungle Brigade, said: “We stand firm in our commitment against the problem of drug trafficking and other crimes that hit the environment. With this new result we decimate the residual organized armed group. On behalf of all the soldiers we will continue to work for the safety and tranquility of the inhabiatnsts of Guaviare; our purpose is to hit the criminal structures in the region”.
Source: National Army News Agency
